Fighting with Fire Book 1: Finding Home

Chapt. 1 Part 2

"If we continue at the rate we're going, we should be there the sunrise after tomorrow," Lance smiled, as he finished drawing in the dirt. It was midday and Ari had spent most of the morning scouting ahead for paths that Lance could use. After watching from Ari's eyes, Lance would draw viable paths he could use to move more quickly. The excitement of getting home was making him anxious.

"I don't like it," Ari replied, "That's a lot of ground to cover, most of it uphill and right after a storm, it's not safe to..."

"We can do it," Lance stated, "There's no reason why we can't."

"It's too risky." Ari insisted.

Lance glared at his familiar, remembering the first time he saw him. He had been on his walk for a little more than a year, living only on whatever foliage he had deemed edible. He was about to give up and head home when he saw Ari. He knew his familiar was going to be some kind of fowl, all of the men on his father's side and his brother had as well, but none of them had ever been quite like this.

Ari was like no bird Lance had ever seen. His immediate classification would have been a hawk, for his sharp talons and large wingspan, however Ari's feathers were extraordinary. At first sight, Lance could've sworn they were a burning red, but after taking a step towards him, Ari had disappeared. Confused, Lance took a step back, Ari popped back into view, and that was the moment they had bonded.

Upon further inspection, Ari's plumage has a unique quality of camouflage. Its full color the fiery red that Lance saw at first, but depending on where the light hit it, Ari could appear nearly invisible, almost like magic. Lance didn't know how it worked or how it was possible, but there he was, glaring at one of the most amazing creatures he had ever seen.

"Those mountains are too steep and the soil is too loose." Ari continued, even now being slightly visible with the afternoon sun, "The rain water would've slicked it all up by now. You'd be lucky if you didn't start a mudslide!"

"The rain hasn't been that bad," Lance retorted, tossing his stick aside, maintaining eye contact, "We can still make it!"

"What if you slip and fall?" Ari questioned, turning his eyes towards Lance, the light shifting across his plumage, "I'm not a climber. I can fly! You, on the other hand, can barely find your way around without me without falling over. Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"I can find my way around just fine thank you." Lance ejaculated, pointing towards the peak, "And we are going over those tomorrow."

"You'd be better off wrestling a Boomeki than making tha..."

"We are going to climb that mountain tomorrow!" Lance interrupted harshly, "We are going home!"

Lance's last word shook through the forest, bringing it to an eerie quiet. Ari cocked his head to the side, peering at Lance with one bright yellow eye.

"Suit yourself." He replied, ruffling his feathers and taking off.

Lance scoffed, and continued on his way. "Birds," He thought. Only later did he remember that Ari could hear him.

Sitting down on a fallen log, Lance rubbed his bare wet feet, sore and raw from crossing a rocky stream. It was almost dark, and they still hadn't found a place to camp for the night. All Lance could think about that day was getting home.

Finally, after two and a half years, he was ready to be with family again. Home, the Wayra village, was all that he had ever known before he left. He sat there remembering the dirt trodden paths, packed hard from years of use, with wild flowers that grew off to the sides. He smiled as he allowed himself to reminisce.